The Meaning of Love
by St. E'clair
Summary: Hermione has forgotten the meaning of love after she was hurt by who she thought was her true love. Can Harry Potter, who she has known since she was eleven, help her find love again? Especially after her old love comes back and stirs up some feelings?


**Summary:** Hermione has forgotten the meaning of love after she was badly hurt by who she thought was her true love. Can Harry Potter, who she has known since she was eleven, help her find love again? Especially after her old love comes back?

**Author's Note:** This is my first story; or rather I consider it my first story because I deleted the one that I had posted a while back. Please review and make any criticism constructive criticism, please and thank you.

By the way, Draco and Hermione are both 21-years-old.

**Chapter One:**_ Who is the Mistress?_

"Dammit, I wish she wouldn't owl me her letters," Draco Malfoy muttered, quickly stuffing a long piece of parchment into the fireplace after reading it. With a quick spell, the fireplace produced wild flames and burned the paper up.

"Sweetie," a mesmerizing woman's voice called.

"Yes?" Draco replied, feeling incredibly nervous.

The door to his office opened to reveal a ravishing brunette. His silver-gray eyes locked with her light brown eyes and he could feel himself melting away.

"Hermione," Draco smiled, already feeling much happier.

"You've got a phone call," she said, giving him a sweet smile.

"Thanks, Sweetheart," Draco said, grabbing his telephone (which he had only learned to use a few weeks ago after his company launched into the muggle world).

"Dinner's in two minutes," Hermione told him, blowing kisses his way.

Draco followed and blew her kisses, normally he would gag at this sight but Hermione just made him nuts, and then returned his attention to his call, "Malfoy Enterprises, Draco Malfoy, President and Co-Founder speaking."

"Draco, it's Pansy," a giggling voice said on the other line.

Draco quickly looked around his office, making sure there was no one in there to spy on him, and after setting down his phone, sprinted towards his door to make sure it was closed.

"Baby, hey," Draco crooned.

"Just wanted to call to see how my man is," Pansy giggled even more shrilly, if that were possible.

"Missing you," Draco said. Then his expression hardened, "But I told you not to call me at home and I remember telling you not to owl me."

"Sorry, but I couldn't help myself," Pansy sighed.

"Okay." Draco then asked, getting right to the point, "So what are you wearing?"

"Nothing but my thong," Pansy replied seductively, or rather like a whore.

Draco felt himself heat up. This was wrong, he knew it was wrong to betray Hermione, his faithful fiancée who he had been with for four years, like this, but he needed this. Or at least this was what he thought.

…………………………………………

"What is taking him so long?" Hermione groaned. She had been waiting for Draco to come down to dinner for at least ten minutes. The feast she had prepared (by herself with no help from the house elves) was beginning to get cold.

She stood up, smoothing down the sexy black dress she had changed into. She'd be damned if Draco was going to miss their anniversary dinner for a business call. Especially when she had such important news for him.

Hermione walked down the long halls of Malfoy Manor, following the route she knew by heart tot Draco's office, where he spent so many hours of the day. She could feel herself getting excited as she drew nearer to his office. He always surprised her some romantic way on their anniversaries, and since today marked their first anniversary as an engaged couple, he was bound to do something extravagant. How right she was.

"Draco?" Hermione called, just outside Draco's door. He didn't respond. "Draco?"

After waiting for quite a while, Hermione quietly opened the door and slipped in.

"Stop it, Baby. You're doing things to me," Draco groaned in a husky voice, still talking on the phone.

Hermione silently gasped. She thought quickly and soon found herself outside again, her ear pressed against the wooden door.

"You're so sexy when you do that," Draco growled, his voice faint against Hermione's ear.

"Oh, sorry, Babe. I've got to go. Tell Noah and Grace that Daddy says hi and that I love them," Draco hung up.

Hermione felt all life leave her. He was cheating on her. That dirty bastard was cheating on her!

"He was… cheating," Hermione, gasped, her eyes as wide as the moon. Her breath was labored and she felt like she was stabbed in the heart as she slid down to the floor, the wall her only support.

The door opened and Draco jumped back when he saw his fiancée on the ground, her eyes full of hurt and anger.

"Hermione," Draco quietly said, reaching out to pull her up.

Hermione pushed him away, snarling, "Don't touch me."

"Baby," Draco's voice was full of panic.

"How long?" Hermione snapped.

"How long what?" Draco asked, pretending to be innocent.

"Don't play dumb!" Hermione barked.

"I-I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You have some nerve," Hermione hissed.

No. This couldn't be happening to Draco Malfoy. Hermione was the only one he loved, the only one in his heart. He couldn't lose her.

"Hogwarts, 6th year," Draco admitted, cursing himself.

Hermione remained bug-eyed, she didn't know if she was breathing or not but she frankly did not care.

"A whole year before we got together?" Hermione gasped, not wanting to know the answer.

"I'm sorry," Draco whispered.

"S-So, _I'm_ the dirty mistress?" Hermione cried.

"NO!" Draco assured her. She shouldn't feel this way because of his stupid mistake.

"So who _is_?" Hermione questioned him.

Hot tears stained Hermione's cheeks. She couldn't take it anymore. "I thought you loved me, Draco."

"I do! I love you so much!" Draco stuttered. "I can't live without you. Please forgive me, Hermione! I'll break up with her right away!"

"Who is she?" Hermione murmured.

"Pansy Parkinson," Draco informed her softly, taking a dramatic pause. Lying would only get him into more trouble.

Hermione didn't say anything and Draco knew this was a bad sign. He was expecting her to say something like slut or whore. Silence was never a good thing with Hermione.

"I hope you and Pansy have a wonderful life with your children," Hermione told him, storming off and seemingly "calm".

"Shit," Draco cursed himself. She heard about his kids. "I can't lose her."

He ran after her, finding out along the way that she was a damn fast runner. But he eventually caught up with her as she took her coat. He grabbed her hand and pulled her close to him.

"Don't leave me. Please," Draco said, tears threatening to fall. "You're the only one that can make me happy and complete. I'll die if you're not there by my side."

"Aren't you selfish," Hermione said, her heart was going to explode if she didn't get out of that place soon. "You made me think that I was the only woman in your life when in truth, I was the _mistress_! And even if you don't love Pansy, don't you know how much it hurts me that you will always be a part of her life and she will be a great part of yours? You have children together. Two!"

"It was a dumb mistake," Draco sighed.

"And you also seem to think your children are a mistake," Hermione said, her voice now emotionless.

"No! I love them but –" Draco was getting tongue-tied.

"Dinner's on the table. Goodbye, Draco," Hermione told him, wriggling out of his grip. Then she left. She walked out on him.

Dumbfounded, Draco made his way to the dinner table. It'd be useless to try and follow Hermione. She had probably apparated to some unknown island to get away from him. And he didn't blame her. Draco wanted nothing more than to get away from himself at that moment for letting this huge mess drag on for so many years.

"She made all my favorites," Draco smiled sadly, sitting down and savoring the picturesque table setup. There were candles lit and the lights were dimmed.

Draco took out a small box, covered with beautiful cream satin, from his pocket and set it on the table.

"Happy anniversary, Hermione," Draco sighed, standing up to go put the box away for safekeeping. As he was walking to his safe, something caught his eye. It was a pure gold plaque.

Curiously, he walked over to the plaque and received the shock of his life when he read it.

_To the best daddy in the world._

Hermione was pregnant.


End file.
